Thanks to the donors who support our work and to national and international organizations, Profamilia Social is able to go to the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalized populations of Colombia.

We invite you to learn about some of the projects that, among many others, take place across the country:

FAMILIA RESPONSABLE (RESPONSIBLE FAMILY)

To contribute in the poverty reduction through educational strategies and facilitating health access services, with the support of the Fundación Fraternidad Medellín, we started the project “Familia Responsable” (Responsible Family) with the objective of generating social changes that can have a bearing in sexual and reproductive health improvement, as well as in the life quality of the people who live in el Barrio La Cruz, Comuna Tres of Medellin.

PROGRAM OF ATTENTION TO THE POPULATION IN DISPLACEMENT SITUATION AND OTHER VULNERABLE GROUPS

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has supported since November 2006 the project of attention for displaced people and other vulnerable groups. During its second year, the project served 146 municipalities of the country bringing medical and educational services and products to women and men, both adults and young people.

Thanks to USAID support and the investment that Profamilia has made in Apartadó (Antioquia), a new Sexual and Reproductive Health Center was built.

"PROMOTING HEALTHY SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH HABITS IN THE COMMUNITIES OF SANTANA, BARÚ, ARARCA AND BOCACERRADA"

For more than 13 years, and with the support of the Fundación Mario Santo Domingo and the Clínica Julio Mario Santo Domingo in Santa Ana (Cartagena), Profamilia has developed educational and health activities in these four communities.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CÓRDOBA THROUGH MOBILE HEALTH BRIGADES

To meet the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable population of six municipalities in the department of Córdoba, IPPF/WHR has supported educational activities and health services since May 2006. In 2008, 13,397 subsidized health services in family planning, sexual and reproductive health, resupply of contraception methods and delivery of medicines and emergency contraception were offered. Some 2,941 women and men, both adults and young people, benefited from the services. They received condoms in order to promote dual protection. Ninety-two workshops were provided that provided information related to health and sexual and reproductive rights.

HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE DISPLACED POPULATION AND OTHER VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE PACIFIC REGION OF COLOMBIA

Columbia University and Marie Stopes International under the RAISE Initiative (Reproductive Health Access, Information and Services in Emergencies) continue to support the program of attention to the displaced population and other vulnerable groups in 28 municipalities in the departments of Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño. Through Profamilia centers in Buenaventura, Cali-Aguablanca, Popayán, Pasto and Tumaco, 24 municipalities were covered with 438 educational activities that benefited 11,157 people through 29,157 medical services.

PROMOTION CAMPAIGN ON THEMES OF STI/HIV/AIDS FOR TRUCK DRIVERS AND OTHER GROUPS

The demand for services and information by population groups such as truck drivers and cargo personnel is not spontaneous, but they are at risk for being disease carriers.

With the support of the IPPF/WHR a promotion campaign on themes of STI/HIV/AIDS was undertaken in the Galicia neighborhood of Pereira. Some 98 voluntary HIV tests as well as condoms and instruction on correct condom use was also offered.

MERCY CORPS AND PROFAMILIA UNITE AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN CARTAGENA

Mercy Corps and Profamilia Social launched a project that seeks to strengthen the capacity of women of fertile age in receptor communities and displaced persons in the neighborhoods of Olaya, Membrillal, Ricaurte, Fredonia and Pozón in Cartagena in order to generate prevention strategies against gender-based violence.

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISPLACED POPULATION IN PASTO AND IPIALES

Also with the support of Mercy Corps a project was begun in the cities of Pasto and Ipiales (Nariño department) to improve the quality of life of families in emergency and beneficiaries of Mercy Corps through personalized counseling and mobile service brigades.

After 24 months of administration of the temporary union between Profamilia, Colombia Diversa and Theatron, in January 2009 the LGBT Community Center will be officially handed over to the Bogotá Mayor's Office.

The Community Center, the first of its kind in Latin America, has served as an example for other countries in the region who have replicated the experience. In the last 14 months Profamilia was charged with the coordination of the center.

During the first phase (10 months) 2,764 people were served and in phase two (14 months) more than 6,500 people from both the LGBT population and heterosexuals were served.

HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE RURAL, DISPLACED POPULATION IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF HUILA AND TOLIMA

Thanks to financing by ARD - Areas for Municipal-level Alternative Development (ADAM) / United States Agency for International Development (USAID), families involved in the process of productive farming in eight municipalities of Huila and Tolima have received sexual and reproductive health services. Through 25 educational sessions, 937 people in rural areas were informed on sexual and reproductive health themes and also took advantage of 1,156 medical services as well as the resupply of contraceptive methods for three months.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION AND SERVICES IN ORDER TO PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS IN THE YOUTH AND ADULT POPULATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF PUERTO CLAVER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF EL BAGRE (ANTIOQUIA) UNDER A FRAMEWORK OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF MINEROS S.A.

For more than six years, Mineros S.A. has sponsored programs of sexual and reproductive health that promote healthy lifestyles in vulnerable communities in the department of Antioquia. In 2008 temporary family planning services (insertion of subermic implants) and training for youth and adults were offered.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH TO PROMOTE HEALTH BEHAVIORS AMONG LOW-INCOME YOUTH IN SCHOOLS, WOMEN OF FERTILE AGE AND TRUCK DRIVERS IN THE MUNICIPALITIESW OF EL PASO, LA JAGUA DE IBIRICO, BECERRIL AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF CUATROVIENTOS AND LA LOMA IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CESAR

With the Calenturitas Foundation (PRODECO) en the Cesar department an educational project for youth, women and truck drivers was carried out benefiting 942 young people from grades 9-11 and 90 teachers, 75 parents, 138 women of fertile age and 154 truck drivers were trained.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION TO PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS AMONG LOW INCOME YOUNG PEOPLE IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WOMEN OF FERTILE AGE AND TRUCK DRIVERS IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF BECERRIL AND LA JAGUA DE IBIRICO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CESAR

With the Carbones de la Jagua (PRODECO) Foundation, an educational project on sexual and reproductive health for Young people, women of fertile age and truck drivers was carried out in the municipalities of La Jagua de Iberico and Becerril in the department of Cesar. Over 1,327 youth grades 9-11 from six schools, 150 teachers, 150 parents, 100 women of fertile age and 250 truckdrivers were instructed and trained.

CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT SEX TRADE EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN CARTAGENA

With the support of IPPF/WHR activities of promotion, information and education in the prevention of sex trade exploitation of children and adolescents was undertaken in the Olaya Herrera and El Pozón neighborhoods of Cartagena. 110 educational activities including individual counseling were undertaken serving 1,042 people. Additionally, the young people took advantage of medical services through mobile health brigades.

In alliance with the Mario Santo Domingo Foundation and in order to generate income opportunities, 300 parents received training in business skills strengthening with the possibility of gaining credit for their productive projects.

This project carried out by with the support of the Fundación Corona focused on promoting good sexual and reproductive health habits among students in grades eight, nine and eleven at six secondary schools in the Bosa and Usme neighborhoods of Bogotá. These areas had been declared in “social emergency” by the city government from 2004-07.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION AND SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME ADOLESCENTS IN THREE PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BOGOTÁ

With the support of the Ernest Kleinwort Trust and IPPF, Profamilia Social in 2005 brought innovation regarding the Sexual Education Project (PES) where not only were educational activities brought to the classroom, but also students had the opportunity to be given medical consultations at a clinic, where the youth had the opportunity to learn about their bodies in a healthy and scientific manner.

Through 92 educational activities with youth from grades 9-11, a total of 3,412 students of which 36% received individual counseling participated in educational activities, 5,029 medical services.

CONSTRUCTION OF SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESPONSES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION AND ATTENTION REGARDING STI – HIV/AIDS WITH YOUTH AND ADOLESCENTS WHO LIVE IN RECEPTOR COMMUNITIES OF DISPLACED POPULATIONS IN COLOMBIA.

The Colombia Global Fund Project provided 600.000 internally-displaced or otherwise vulnerable young people in 48 municipalities with knowledge and skills training to prevent STIs, including HIV/AIDS. Profamilia was a member of Colombia´s Country Coordinating Mechanism, with prepared the projects for funding and worked in conjunction with community-based organizations in 10 cities.

A survey about sexual and reproductive health in vulnerable populations of the Pacific Coast was undertaken which will be the baseline to measure the impact of the RAISE project.

In the framework of the project with the George Washington University "HIV Prevalence, sexual behavior and attitudes about circumcision among men who have sex with men in Colombia"

Interviews of key informants about the issue

Focus groups with men who have had sex with men (MSM)

Interviews of life stories of displaced MSM

In four Profamilia centers (Bogotá, Barranquilla, Medellín and Cali) a survey about perceptions and attitudes about the vaccine against the papiloma humano virus was given.

With the support of UNICEF, PMA and UNDP a survey on the indigenous population of the Chocó department was undertaken in order to make an analysis of their vulnerability conditions. Information was received from 1,532 homes and 8,635 people. Profamilia Social is linked to the website of Conexión Colombia.